


Battle Scars Don't Fade

by ElizabethWeasley



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Harry Potter Next Generation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-11
Updated: 2014-04-11
Packaged: 2018-01-19 00:44:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1449025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElizabethWeasley/pseuds/ElizabethWeasley
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry and Ginny and Ron and Hermione have had their happy ending. Even Draco Malfoy, their once arch nemesis has married, and seems to be relatively happy. Not a fact that the Potters and especially the Weasleys care about. But as this generation's new children go to school, an old grudge is reawkaened, and no one can forget the Battle of Hogwarts. This is a good thing for some. But a bad thing for others, and affects all. The former hero's and the former villain's lives and paths to love and happiness were long and convluted. Their children's will be perhaps longer and more complicated. There will be heart break and love in equal measure. And as they always say "Alls fair in love and war."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Battle Scars Don't Fade

The train was majestic. Huge and crimson and breathtakingly beautiful. Ok, maybe I was being a bit melodramatic, and a bit of a pretentious wannabe poet, but those were honestly the thoughts that went through my head when I first saw the Hogwarts express. Well, I’d seen it before, but this time I was here to ride on it. To go all the way to the gorgeous castle. I’d run ahead eagerly to get a look at it. Dashing through the block between the platforms nine and ten without flinching (luckily none of the muggles in the busy station noticed me).

My brother and parents arrived soon behind me, out of breath and frazzled. “Why are you in such a hurry to get to the train?” panted my father.

My mother smiled. “She’s just so excited to get away from her parents!” she joked.

I blushed, but then had the breath knocked out of me a violent hug. It was Lily, my cousin. “We’re actually going this year! I can’t believe it!” She made a noise that somehow managed to be higher pitched than the whistle of the train. The rest of her family then caught up with her. The Potters and Weasleys then quickly exchanged pleasantries. Things like “busy today” and “Isn’t it startling how they all grow up so fast?”, as the children bounced agitatedly around them. Then my Uncle Harry, and my father (well to my cousins Uncle Ron) turned to Hugo and James, who were returning for their third year at Hogwarts.

“Now James,” said Uncle Harry.  
“Now Hugo,” said father.  
“Don’t be getting into trouble.” they said in usion.  
“Don’t worry, we will.” said James with a devilish smile.  
“You don’t tell them!” groaned Hugo.  
“Oh, they’re going to find out anyway!” said James. He gave short hugs to his half

exasperated, half amused parents and hauled his trunk onto the train.  
Albus, who was going into his second year at Hogwarts, did the same. His mother

caught his arm just as he turned to go to the train. “Albus, don’t be too shy this year.” He rolled his eyes. “Mom, people aren’t fun, books are fun.”  
“Just try Albus, ok?” She was so earnest about it and Albus loved his mother so

much, that he agreed, and nodded his head sincerely.  
“Good luck at the sorting, sweetheart.” Harry said to his daughter kissing her

cheeks.  
“But of course know we love you no matter where you are sorted.” and Ginny hugged

Lily tight and sent her onto the train.  
Meanwhile the we were doing our goodbyes in the Weasley family. “I know you’ll

have a great year Hugo, said Ron, “if you just give a little extra effort to your studies. And try out these new sweets from Georges shop.” That part he said under his breath, and I saw him slip Hugo a few bright purple objects. I saw them do this as mum was saying goodbye to me.

“I love you Rose, try not to get in too much trouble.”  
“Oh, Hermione darling, she’ll be fine.” my dad said putting his arm around her. “Yes, well, alright you two get on the train. Remember to write and don’t hesitate to

ask if you need anything!”  
Hugo and I got our trunks and ourselves onto the train with the help of our parents

and said our final goodbyes. Then we found the compartment with our cousins, plus one. James’ and Hugo’s friend Michael.

However, I liked Michael, he was nice so I didn’t mind that he was there.

The three boys had already turned to alks of quidditch and though I wasn’t interested in quidditch, Lily was, so she quickly entered the conversation. Actually, correction I don’t think that she was interested in quidditch, I think she was interested in Michael. She was always making lovey dovey eyes at him when he wasn’t looking, and she ignored me and talked to him whenever he was around. However she would vehemently deny this whenever I talked to her about it.

Albus was already buried in another one of his school books, so I took to gazing out the window and daydreaming about Hogwarts. Lily was my best friend and cousin, but I wanted to make some new different friends while at school. I loved all of my family members very much, but they all think the same way. It’s Gryffindor and glory and tradition and quidditch and never anything new. Of course they have all different personalities, look at Albus and James for gods sake. But even Albus is in Gryffindor. I just don’t feel like I belong there. I don’t know where I belong. And I know that if I get sorted into another house, my whole family would be disappointed. My parents told me and Hugo before he went to Hogwarts that they’d be fine with any house that we were sorted into. But as every single Weasley has been sorted into Gryffindor for like seven generations, I feel the teensiest bit  
of pressure.

Then there’s the fact that Lily has been talking all summer about the fun we’ll have dorming together in Gryffindor, as I become increasingly uneasy. I try to push my fears down, and assure myself that surely I will be sorted into Gryffindor. I’m startled out of my thoughts by someone saying out in the corridor: “That’s them, the Weasleys and the Potters!” Then realizing how loud they had said it, slapped their hand over their mouth and ran away.

“What the bloody hell was that?!” I asked, shocked. Because now whoever walked by our compartment slowed down to look at us.

“First of all, don’t swear your eleven.” said Hugo.

Michael snickered. “Oh come on, Hugo. She’s funny.” Lily shot me a jealous look, and I blushed.

James rolled his eyes. “And second of all, you’ll get used to it, it’s because our parents were war heroes in the Battle of Hogwarts.”

My eyes widened. If we were the “famous kids”, it might be harder to make friends than I thought. “It happens way too often.” said Albus, who hated attention of any sort. “Sometimes I wish I were a Malfoy.”

We all gasped. Though Draco Malfoy had been pardoned, the Malfoys were still a taboo subject, especially with my father. “Don’t say that Albus!” exclaimed James. “All of our parents sacrificed a lot for us. I think we can deal with a little attention resulting from that, hmm?”

Albus shook himself. “You’re right, of course you’re right. I just”  
“We know.” said Hugo gently.  
Albus could have perhaps been bullied badly because of his socially awkward

behavior. However Michael, James, and Hugo were very fond of him. They were also very popular and people soon found out that if you messed with Albus, your life would become hell.

Before we knew it the lunch cart was coming around and we all got cauldron cakes. I could barely eat mine because my throat seemed to have turned to stone. The moment of truth? It was almost here.

When the sun began to set, we all changed into our robes, and I couldn’t talk. My face was white and I felt ice cold.

Finally the train came grinding to a halt. James, Hugo, Albus and Michael hopped off the train and disappeared into the throng of people on the platform. Their last words to us before they left were “look for Hagrid”.

It wasn’t hard. Hagrid often came to family events like birthdays, christmas, and other major holidays. He was kind of like an Uncle to us. And sure enough we saw him towering over the crowd at the Hogsmeade platform, yelling “FIRS’ YEARS! FIRS’ YEARS.” Then he saw us. “LILY, ROSE, YOU ALRIGH’?”

We waved cheerily over at him and forced our way through the crowd. Once it seemed Hagrid was satisfied he had all of the first years with him, he proceeded to lead us down a narrow path. Finally the castle came to view. It’s windows glowing golden in the dark of night. My heart began to race. Then I saw the lake. It’s surface placid and glasslike. Lily and I got into a boat with two other girls. They looked just as nervous as I did. They introduced themselves as Violet and Abby. For one second I felt a bit better, these seemed like girls that I could be friends with.

But then, our boat bumped into the shore. And we were walking up to the thick, wooden doors. Hagrid rapped three times on them. They opened on their own, and behind them was a man I recognized as another family friend. Neville Longbottom, the professor of Herbology at Hogwarts, and the head of Gryffindor house. I knew him as a kind, but firm

man. I especially liked his wife, who was a bit...different. But as my dad said “Luna had always been a bit...out there.”

“I’ll take them from here, thanks Hagrid.” said Professor Longbottom. He lead the group of children into the room that is before the entrance to the great hall. Peeking in, I presumed he was checking to make sure they were ready for us. “Alright, children lets go.”

The group filed in between the tables of the houses at which the rest of the school was sitting, eagerly awaiting the sorting so the feast could begin. My brother gave me a thumbs up, and patted the seat next to him at the Gryffindor table. I looked straight ahead and pretended I hadn’t seen him.

The headmistress, Minerva McGonagall, sat at the head of the staff table, looking tartly regal. Professor Longbottom placed a stool and a hat down in the space before the staff table. I vaguely registered that the hat was indeed singing, but I couldn’t be bothered to understand a word it said, such was my acute anxiety.

After it had finished, Professor Longbottom began to read names off of the list, and put the hat on each person. The respective tables clapped as they were sorted. The only person I remember being sorted was Lily and she was sorted into Gryffindor the minute the hat touched her head. I heard my was family cheer. It was just confirmation for them.

My name was called. “Weasley, Rose.” Instead of slowing down everything seemed to speed up. I was sitting on the stool with the hat over my eyes in less than a second.

Then it began to speak. “Oh ho! Weasley but not so easy. No, no you don’t belong in Gryffindor. It’s obvious your smart nature and desire to be different from the rest of the family puts you in...RAVENCLAW.” Shocked silence rang loudly throughout the hall. But then cheers and whoops came from the Ravenclaw table, followed by surprised but loud clapping from the rest of the tables. Hugo and James looked shocked. Lily looked hurt, and Albus just smiled at me. I whipped off the hat and ran to the Ravenclaw table, slumping into the first chair I could find.

Once the feast started I looked over to see who was sitting next to me. It was a tall, lanky boy with shaggy blonde hair and green eyes. “Hi, I’m Rose Weasley.” I said.

“I’m Scorpius Malfoy.”  
“Are you a first year too?”  
“Yeah. So, do you like this house?” he asked.  
“Well, I’m glad I’ve been sorted here, but I think my family is more than a little

disappointed. Every Weasley ever has been in Gryffindor.”  
“It’s ok, I’m different too. Every Malfoy ever has been in Slytherin.”  
“Well I guess we’re both different.” I grinned.  
Headmistress Mcgonagall stood up to speak. “Now I know I don’t have your

attention now, as you are all hungry and thirsty and anxious to talk to your friends. So, my real speech will be after dinner. Eat up!” And as she sat down the food appeared.

“This is going to sound wierd.” said Scorpius as we loaded up our plates. “But do you just want to be friends now? I don’t really want to spend that awkward period of time where you’re not completely sure if you’re friends with someone or not.”

Relieved, I nodded vigorously. “I like weird and I’d love to be friends with you.” He grinned and I grinned back. “To be honest though, I don’t have many friends outside my cousins. But now I guess I do have one! Wow that sounded lame.” I added as an afterthought.

He laughed. “No, no. I completely understand. No one wants their kid to play with a Malfoy. I just want to show them that I’m not like my father was. He’s so much better now. But no one except his foreign contacts believes him.”

“That’s awful, I’m so sorry.” I said sadly.

“Yeah, but it’s alright. Everyone at this table I’ve talked to has been pretty accepting. Ravenclaw is a house for the outcasts. I don’t know about these other houses though.”

I nodded sympathetically. And for the rest of the feast, we talked. We talked about everything and anything. Somehow I managed to stuff myself with food and fit a months worth of interesting conversation into about two hours.

Then the food disappeared and the Headmistress stood up again. “I hope you have all had a good feast. The forbidden forest is off limits to any and all students. Filch has a new book of forbidden Weasleys Wizard Wheezes.” At that the whole Great Hall snickered. Even the Headmistress allowed herself a small smile. “Schedules will be administered tomorrow at breakfast. Now first years follow your prefects up to the common rooms.” As soon as she finished her speech, the benches moved back all at once with a screech. Scorpio and Rose started to look for their perfect.

Rose felt a tap on her shoulder. She spun around to see Lily standing there. “Hey. I just want you to know that it’s fine with me that you’re in Ravenclaw. We’ll still have fun times together. And this way we’ll meet even more boys!” She said this all in one breath and before I could get in a word of thanks she gave me a short but tight hug and dashed away.

“Your cousin?” Scorpius asked as we followed the first years following the prefects to the Ravenclaw tower.

“Yeah.” I said.  
“She seems lovely.”  
“Yeah, she is.”  
Finally we got up to the tower and the eagle asked a question. I knew from Uncle

Harry this is how we got in the Ravenclaw common room which overlooked the lake. The question was: “What is old, but is born again anew? What lasts generations through and through? What never changes but is different with each passing face?

“Does anyone know the answer?” asked the prefect. “It’ll be good practice for when you have to do this on your own.”

No one answered. And at the risk of being thought a fool, I said loudly. “A grudge.”

 

The prefect looked at the door. It was still for a horrid moment, then it swung open. “Very good.” she praised. “Now everyone come in, boys to the right, girls to the left.” “Another reason I’m sticking with you.” Scorpius said before bidding me good night. My room was with the girl on the boat from earlier, who was also relieved to see she

knew someone in her room. The other two were nice, and their names were Mary and Victoria.

I put out of my mind the shock and pain my parents, brother, and cousins were facing, and fell into my warm soft bed drifting into a deep sleep.


End file.
